Joe was very good, but again had a few overthrows. He looked a little unsettled early on, but certainly got things together for another solid performance.

Running Back: B+

I was VERY impressed by Willis McGahee, and again saw glimpses of how dangerous Ray Rice can be when he gets the ball in space. There will be a game this season when the Ravens HAVE to let Ray Rice carry them to victory because nothing else is working. He’ll be ready to do it, too.

Wide Receiver/Tight End: B-

It was good to see the continued development of a trusting relationship between Joe Flacco and Kelley Washington, but where were Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams?

Offensive Line: A-

I get the feeling not everyone was as impressed with the O-Line as I was. I know Michael Oher jumped at one point (which Dan Fouts explained had something to do with the officials) and Matt Birk and Joe Flacco fumbled an early exchange; but I thought Oher, Gaither, and ESPECIALLY Chris Chester were great throughout.

Defensive Line: B

This would be an A+ if they could have gotten better pressure on Phillip Rivers; because NO ONE is running on this group. Trevor Pryce especially needed to be better getting off the edge.

Linebackers: B+

Again, this group would be getting an A+ if they were getting pressure. Ray Lewis himself DOES get an A+.

Secondary: C

I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. With more pressure, this would be a better unit. They were put in bad spots yesterday.

Special Teams: B

Hauschka made his only field goal, Sam Koch was good too. But the Ravens gave up some big runs to Darren Sproles, and Chris Carr is still not getting much going in the return game.

Coaching: B-

Cam Cameron’s scheme was pretty good until late, when I didn’t think we saw enough Le’Ron McClain. Meanwhile, Greg Mattison is still searching for answers defensively.

I’m not overly concerned about Michael Oher yet. I think Michael will be here by the end of the week, and will begin to work his way into the starting lineup by the first preseason game. I would really be surprised if he wasn’t here shortly.

That being said, I will continue to be concerned about the WR situation until the Ravens get effective WR play in regular season games. Biren Ealy is nothing more than a body; and I am in agreement with the fans who think the team needs to make an upgrade somehow. I am not going to back off my concerns here.

Although the official college football season is still a full six months away, spring football is under way. The Miami Hurricanes are already in pads and schools in warmer climates are now following suit. This is the time of year when coaches push extra buttons to find those that can carry the load mentally and physically.

Locally speaking, here is a glimpse at what coaches will be looking for in College Park, Morgantown and Happy Valley. Also, a quick look at some of the impact recruits for next season is in order.

MARYLAND

The dilemma in College Park resides in the fact that only eight starters return from last season, an extremely low number by any standard. Back-up QB Josh Portis has decided to transfer. Ergo, two-year starter Chris Turner should not be looking over his shoulder, the first time this has occurred for a QB during spring practice in over six seasons. The ball carriers are all back including Da’Rel Scott, the ACC’s No. 2 rusher statistically. What has to be the biggest question mark for coaches this spring will be the line of scrimmage. The blockers and tacklers up front are all newcomers in regards to fulltime duty as guard Phil Costa is the only returning starter on either side of the ball. Alex Wujciak bolsters the LB unit but the front seven has to locate some other playmakers. This spring may be the most crucial in Coach Friedgen’s eight-year tenure from a reloading standpoint.

Impact Recruits

With the line of scrimmage being a huge position of need, DE DeOnte Arnett out of Forestville H.S. (MD) should help immediately. Any school would be hard-pressed to find a defensive end that is better against the run. OG Peter White from St. John’s H.S. was the No. 1 rated player at any position coming out of the Washington, DC area. The 6’5, 340 lb. blocker has a 3.0 GPA and fills a huge need in terms of a road-grader (opens holes). C.J. Brown (Cranberry Township, PA) fits the prototypical Friedgen role for a QB. While carrying a 3.9 GPA he led the WPIAL in passing yards his senior season. One of his biggest attributes is his mobility and quickness. Brown also doubles as a basketball star.

WEST VIRGINIA

The eyes of the nation will be watching Morgantown this spring to see how WVU operates without the longtime services of QB Pat White. His incumbent is athletic senior Jarrett Brown. His feet are not as swift but his throwing arm likely offers more than his predecessor. He has spent time on the Mountaineers basketball squad and has found playing time while filling in for an injured White. How offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen decides to utilize Brown will go a long way in defining the WVU post-Rodriguez offensive identity. The chief replacement project is up front where the offensive line will adorn five new starters. The concerns on the defensive side appear to be much more settled than they were a year ago where coaches had to completely rebuild the secondary. With full-time contributors like All-Big East performer Scooter Berry at DE and LB J.T. Thomas back in the fold, the defense should be ahead of schedule this spring with eight starters returning.

Impact Recruits

RB Tavon Austin from Dunbar H.S. (Baltimore) owns practically every high school rushing record in the state. Coaches have already labeled him as the most exciting player signed since Noel Devine, the guy he will compete for carries with this coming fall. Another “sure-fire” bet for immediate playing time is JUCO transfer Tevita Finaue at DE. The Hawaiian native starred at Phoenix College the past two years and was also recruited by USC. The future of the program appears promising with the signing of dual-threat QB Eugene Smith out of Miramar, FL. The Florida Class 6A Player of the Year finished his career as the third-best passer in Broward County history.

PENN STATE

Offensively, QB Daryll Clark and TB Evan Royster return to make the running game command respect. In fact Clark and Royster are sure to be included on many preseason Heisman watch lists. The senior laden offensive line responsible for making Penn State one of the best rushing attacks needs retooled. On top of that, the complete array of receivers moves on. Defensively, the pass rush took a major hit when both DEs Aaron Maybin and Maurice Evans declared early for the NFL Draft. The secondary also needs four new starters. All this does not necessarily mean a dreaded rebuilding season. Navorro Bowman continues the tradition of Linebacker U., while hopes are that last season’s potential Butkus Award winner Sean Lee can return from his (pre) season ending knee injury. Unfortunately but realistically, the expectations are probably somewhat higher than a year ago, despite the fact there will not be as many veterans on the upcoming team.

Impact Recruits

Big 6’7 Eric Shrive (Scranton, PA) will get an opportunity to find immediate playing time while trying to fill an offensive tackle spot. Shrive is a two-time First Team All-State selection. QB Kevin Newsome out of Hargrave Academy (VA) is the face of this recruiting class. With Daryll Clark being the only scholarship QB on the roster, the need to locate another was a monster priority and JoPa managed to steal this top rated hurler who originally committed to Michigan. PSU also snagged two of the top cornerbacks out of the state of Maryland in Darrell Givens (Lackey H.S.) and Derrick Thomas (Eleanor Roosevelt H.S.)

SPRING GAME DATES

West Virginia – April 18

Maryland – April 25

Penn State – April 25

Comments Off on Spring Football Crucial as Terps, Mountaineers and Nittany Lions reload

Now why would I pick “14 points” as the title of today’s return of the wildly popular “Points to Ponder” blog?

14 points? Hmmm…why 14 points?

Could it be the FOURTEEN POINT MARGIN OF VICTORY the Ravens put on the Redskins last night? lol

Yes, I think it is.

Read away, comment if you like…

1. I really think this new Orioles off-season philosophy might be a stroke-of-genius. Let’s not call ANY free agents and act as if we don’t want anyone at all. Maybe that will make the players (and their agents) say, “Hey, I thought Baltimore had a lot of money this off-season…why haven’t they made contact with us? Let’s call THEM and see what they’re up to.” Could just be the kind of outside-the-box thinking that takes the O’s right to the top.

2. Oklahoma 38 – Florida 30. And yes, the best two teams are playing in the BCS title game.

3. Is this guy any relation? I just saw on the wire that the Knicks signed shooting guard Plaxico Burress to a a minimum three-year and a half year sentence contract.

4. Harrison Frazar shot 59 in the 4th round of Q-School on the PGA Tour on Saturday. On a real course…and playing for his 2009 livelihood. The last guy to post 59 at that place (La Quinta) was David Duval. Remember him? He was a player way back when.

5. The AFC playoff race is pretty wild. In for sure: Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Denver and the Ravens. Wild card: New England and Indianapolis. Miami has a very favorable schedule. They could win out too. I think there’s a decent chance that an 11-5 team is going to MISS the post-season. Holy cow.

6. I wrote this a month ago in a “bets I’d make” blog and I’ll say it again: Tennessee and the NY Giants will NOT meet in the Super Bowl. I’d bet on it right now. I’d bet you $500, in fact…if I had a betting addiction, which I’ll bet you a grand that I don’t.

7. I also said this recently and will continue to make this my “early-bird 2009 prediction”. Rex Ryan will be the head coach in San Diego next season.

8. Pretty smart move from Andy Reid a few weeks back when he benched Donovan McNabb for the second half in Baltimore, huh? What a dummy. If they miss the playoffs by a game, Reid will be raked over the coals for sitting his Hall-Of-Very-Good quarterback in a 10-7 game for a scrub who is still looking for his first big win in the NFL. I’d take McNabb on my team any day.

9. Here’s an O’s update for you: ________________________________.

10. Right now, here are my top 3 Ravens’ MVP candidates at the 13-game mark. 3. Derrick Mason 2. Ray Lewis 1. Joe Flacco – But Le’Ron McClain and Ed Reed are both working their way up the charts.

12. Speaking of college basketball, contrary to what you might have read in yesterday’s edition of The Sun, the final score of the Towson-Hofstra game on Saturday night was 90-79 in favor of the Pride…not 90-70. That’s what you get, I guess, when you don’t send a reporter to the facility to actually COVER the game the way it deserves to be covered.

13. Chris Cosh leaving MD football saved Ralph a “tough talk”. Let’s hope Debbie Yow isn’t preparing for one of those with “The Fridge” sometime in the next couple of years.

14. I’m guessing that Rob Ambrose (currently at UConn) gets the Towson University football coach job.

Like Drew said; this was tougher to do because there were 12 worthy candidates. But here’s my Tuesday Top 7…..7-Ray Lewis

He’s on the list because of “The Speech”. He had a solid game, but apparently the rallying cry was legit.

6-Haloti Ngata

You’re just not getting anywhere near him. Forget it. He might well be the best interior lineman in the NFL.

5-Mark Clayton

If the Ravens can go downfield to Mark Clayton, this is an entirely different offense. But asking him to climb the ladder in double coverage is NOT a good idea.

4-Terrell Suggs

This team is better when the defense scores. Terrell Suggs has done that twice in the last 3 weeks.

3-Joe Flacco

If he plays like he did in the 2nd half the rest of the season; he will beat out Matt Ryan for Rookie of the Year honors.

2-Ray Rice

Totally dynamic back. Just needs to make sure he holds on to the football.

1-Derrick Mason

The true “savior” of this offense. The catch on 3rd and 16 was unbelievably big; and he just keeps giving Joe Flacco a sure target. Braylon Edwards might be more explosive; but Braylon Edwards dropped the most important ball thrown to him all day. Derrick Mason didn’t.

And it wouldn’t surprise me if the Browns actually opened it up a bit. This secondary is in TROUBLE without C-Mac; and we will learn that Sunday. Flacco may have won at Miami; but that might as well have been a home game. This will be a REAL test.

William & Mary 31, Towson 17

If this was a road game; then sadly again I would have to pick a more lopsided score. I’m being favorable to Towson here since the game is at home.

Navy 30, Temple 20

Nice to have the Owls come to town when you’re trying to clinch bowl eligibility.

SOME QUICK THOUGHTS:-The Orioles aren’t interested in Derek Lowe? If they don’t sign a top-notch pitcher this offseason; my general indifference will only grow to downright anger; and then right back to general indifference.

The Ravens ARE better with Chris McAlister on the field. They just are. That’s not debatable. They are a BETTER football team with Chris McAlister on the field.That being said; if C-Mac does decide to shut things down-for whatever reason-the Ravens have shown so far this season that they are a better secondary than they were last year. Fabian Washington and Frank Walker are NOT great cornerbacks; but they can be effective.

I am not sure that the Ravens can compete for the playoffs WITH Chris McAlister; and I am certainly not sure that the Ravens can compete for the playoffs without him. But I do know that if this really is the end of C-Mac’s season; they are in better shape than they were a season ago.

If this is the end of the road for C-Mac in Baltimore……..his performance on the field will be BADLY missed.

SOME QUICK THOUGHTS:-To answer Drew’s text question this morning; the Orioles will win another World Series………..in 12-15 years. I’m not going to tell you that the ownership will change; or that baseball will realign the Orioles into another division; or that the playoffs will expand; or ANYTHING like that. But whatever the circumstances are; the Orioles will win another World Series in 12-15 years.

-Congratulations to Athlete of the Morning Kat Lincalis; a setter from Towson who helped the girl’s volleyball team lay claim to their first Baltimore County title since 2001 with a straight sets victory over Dulaney.

8:30-I talked a lot about how important it was for Maryland to rally on the road and steal a win at a Clemson team that still had a chance at the time to be pretty good. But after watching today’s game; this win is even bigger.

Maryland DID NOT play down to the level of the opponent today. They simply were forced to answer the call when their weaker opponent put together a VERY good game.

And for quite possibly the first time all season; Maryland won a game in which their opponent played what might be their best football of the season.

NC State wanted badly to win this game today. They knew they had improved in recent weeks; they remembered the drubbing they suffered at the hands of the Terps in Raleigh last year; and they wanted to extract revenge. Maryland took every shot NC State offered and countered with one of their own.

Da’Rel Scott ran like a man possessed. Davin Meggett ran like a man who is too green to know that he is in a pressure situation. Chris Turner remained calm and didn’t make mistakes. The Tight Ends and Wide Receivers made a number of plays; with Dan Gronkowski leading the way. The Offensive Line kept Chris Turner’s jersey clean despite one of the sloppiest fields I’ve ever seen.

The Defensive Line FINALLY made a play at what might have been the crux of the season. The Linebackers battled injuries to keep making tackles. The secondary broke up passes in one on one situations. The Special Teams set career records for field goals; successfully covered 50+ yard punts, and eventually won the game. Heck, the punter even managed to squib kick a kickoff into the endzone running 6 seconds off the clock.

And they did all of this despite TERRIBLE field conditions; a crowd that didn’t entirely make it into the stadium; and a team that played their best football of the season.

This was a character win; despite what many people will see when they look at the score.

This team SHOULD win 8 games with two games left at home. I now fully believe that they are a GOOD team; and that they really WANT to be a good team. They have four good teams left on their schedule; and they should be prepared for each one of them.

They have a chance to win out and play for an ACC title. They really do. They have a chance to win 3 games and play for an ACC title.

The point is, proving they can win a game like this means that this team is a GOOD football team; not just an up and down team.

Talk to you Monday. Go Ravens!

-G

8:20-Both Defensive Lineman Jeremy Navarre and Tight End Dan Gronkowski think that getting bowl eligible is meaningful; but they both know there are bigger goals. However, freshman running back Davin Meggett said “he has never been bowl eligible before”, so it didn’t feel much different to him. Navarre said he was “getting real frustrated” with the speed and escapability of NC State QB Russell Wilson; but that he took some of that frustration out on the sack on NC State’s “last” possession. (NC State DID get the ball back with 2 seconds left; technically meaning it wasn’t the last possession.) Meggett said that when Da’Rel Scott came off the field with an injury, Scott told him to “keep it going, no let off”.

8:14-Quarterback Chris Turner says that having two running backs who can both perform “helps (his) well being.” He said that when Da’Rel Scott came off the field with an injury on the final drive, he yelled back “something motivational”, although he couldn’t make out exactly what was said. Bruce Campbell was the most vocal player in the huddle heading into the final drive according to Turner; who admitted that Campbell’s fellow linemen Jaimie Thomas and Edwin Williams were also “pretty vocal.” Turner also gave indirect credit to his lineman by admitting “I didn’t get hit a lot” during the game.

Turner said that both he and DHB thought the 2nd down pass to the endzone was a touchdown; but the refs didn’t see it the same way. Following the incompletion, Turner thought a screen was “probably a better option” than throwing the ball downfield for a first down; although he was surprised screens had worked so well given the weather.

Overall, Turner thought that winning a tight game like this was “huge”, as sometimes his team has “gotta find a way to win.” He also said that in order to avoid a letdown; the team “played (their) game”, the defense “came up with huge stops”, and that “rankings don’t mean much” because NC State is a good team.

7:59-Ralph Friedgen opened his post-game press conference by crediting NC State for their level of play. He said this game was a “heck of a football game”, and a “big win for (the Terps)……one of the crucial wins on the season.” He said he was “very proud of (his) team”, they “showed character….especially on the the last drive and overcoming penalties.” He quipped that the team’s “destiny is in (their) hands”, but that their next game-at Virginia Tech-is a “heck of a challenge.”

Ralph said he knew going in that “this was gonna have to be a high scoring game” for the Terps to win. He admitted that although it wasn’t pretty, the Terps “found a way.” He said he told the team in the locker room after the game that “if you’re gonna win a championship, you gotta win games like this.” He was satisfied that the team did not suffer a letdown against a perceived lesser opponent, but thought the Terps were “capable of playing better than (they) did”, however they “played good enough to win.” Speaking about NC State, Ralph quipped “they’ve got a chance to be pretty good.”

Ralph appeared to get a bit emotional when speaking about Da’Rel Scott. He said Scott is “maturing on almost a daily basis” and he is “very proud of” Da’Rel and the progress he has made. He said Da’Rel came to Maryland as a track guy and that durability was a question, but that Da’Rel has “kinda turned into a tough guy.”

Ralph spoke in depth regarding the final drive of the game. After Chris Turner’s pass to DHB in the endzone was ruled incomplete; Ralph said he told Offensive Coordinator James Franklin to “get something inside the 30” to set Obi Egekeze up for a FG attempt to take the lead. They called a double screen; which Ralph said he wanted to go to a running back (which happened to be Davin Meggett). Ralph had told Franklin “if this one don’t work; you better get ready for something on 4th down”; as the Terps were not going to try such a lengthy FG attempt. Clearly, the play worked for over 30 yards down to the 4 yard line. After the play; Ralph said that Franklin and RB coach John Donovan wanted to run another play; but the Head Coach “didn’t want to take a chance” given the conditions; so he had Chris Turner run to the middle of the field, then called a timeout-which he said maybe he should have saved in case of trouble on the FG snap.

Ralph said that before Egekeze came onto the field to try the eventual game winner he pulled his kicker aside and told him “it’s an extra point Obi; you’ve kicked 150 of these in a row.” Egekeze’s kick was true; making him 2/3 on the day. Ralph said he felt some vindication for sticking with Obi after his 0/5 start to the season; but admitted that he was frustrated with the kicker earlier in the week when Obi told him he had a pulled muscle and couldn’t kick. Ralph stuck with Obi today; and it even paid off with Egekeze delivering a 47 yarder earlier; a new career long.

Ralph didn’t harp much on the field conditions; saying he thought the field was “playable.” He admitted that the footballs “got real wet” and were hard to snap and catch; but he had the team practice with wet footballs earlier in the week.

There were three injuries in today’s game; Dave Philistin with a shoulder that Ralph says is similar to the injury Ronnie Tyler suffered earlier this season. Tyler didn’t even miss a game with that injury; but Ralph admitted that Tyler “isn’t a linebacker”. Moise Fokou was banged up a couple times during the game but returned; and Da’Rel Scott of course was hurt on the final drive; but the extent of his injury is not yet known.

Overall; Ralph was clearly pleased with the fact that the team “had the guts to hang in there when things were tough.” He mentioned bowl eligibility in the locker room after the game; but reminded the team that there are 9 teams in the ACC with 4 wins or more. He said he was proud that the team has now reverted to looking at just one game at a time. Ralph also thanked the students in attendance at today’s game for sticking around despite the tough weather conditions; saying the students were “real troopers.”

6:32-They drew up a schoolyard play; but it falls incomplete. Maryland is bowl eligible with a 27-24 victory. Ralph now has a week and a half to prepare for Frank Beamer and the Hokies. I’ll be back with more after postgame.

6:31-The squib kick from Baltz bounces all the way to the endzone; and there will be just 2 seconds left here for Russell Wilson.

6:29-It won’t look pretty. But it SHOULD be a WIN. Egekeze is true from 20; and Maryland will take a 27-24 lead with 6 seconds to play. What a play call and execution on the screen pass to Meggett. Baltz will kick off here instead of Egekeze.

6:28-Illegal participation called against NC State, but declined. They’ll now start calling their timeouts. Egekeze will get the chance to think about this one.

6:26-Turner runs the ball to the middle of the field; and Maryland will settle for a short FG attempt. NC State doesn’t bother to burn their timeouts, and this will be a 22 yard try for Egekeze.

6:24-Play upheld; and what a response! Turner finds Meggett in the flat; who turns upfield for THIRTY yards and a first down at the 5. Maryland will call their 2nd timeout; and will have the ball first and goal from the 4. They will now have the opportunity to force NC State to use all of their timeouts; and maybe punch it in.

6:22-Turner takes ANOTHER shot downfield to DHB; and it APPEARED to be a 35 yard TD: but was ruled incomplete. They will take another look at this; I don’t think they will see enough to overturn it; but some in the press box think it was a TD catch.

6:19-Turner takes a shot downfield to DHB; but the ball is up for grabs and not hauled down. Turner responds by manning up for a BIG gain downfield; 19 yards to DHB and a first down to the 35. That’s DHB’s 121st career catch; he’s now 4th all-time in Maryland history. The Terps follow that by trying to go back to the ground; but Meggett goes nowhere and the Terps are forced to spend a timeout. 43 seconds to play and the Terps have the ball on NC State’s 35. Sorry this one isn’t on TV. Maybe you should have come down here.

6:18-The Terps go back to the ground for a change of pace; but a hold will push them back to their own 46. Just 1 minute to play here.

6:17-Two plays later; Turner goes to the air for a first down to Gronkowski down to the NC State 46. Egekeze will try to shake off a prior miss as he begins warming up.

6:16-Davin Meggett picks up a first down on the next two rushes, and Maryland is up to the 36. With the clock ticking, Maryland will have to think about going to the air pretty soon.

6:13-23 carries, 163 yards, 1 TD and zero fumbles today for Da’Rel Scott; who is STILL down. Ralph Friedgen clearly laughed last week when he was questioned by a reporter on whether he considered making a switch at RB following Scott’s 3 fumbles. Scott doesn’t go off the field quickly; he instead takes some time to fire up his team and the crowd after being helped up. He is holding his arm VERY awkwardly however.

6:11-Following a first down hold; Scott bounces right back for a big gain and gives Maryland a manageable 2nd and 2; which he’ll pick up. Maryland will look to get some more yards running the ball before they even attempt a pass here and risk anything. Scott remains on the ground after the play; as he took a big hit.

6:07-And just when they needed it; Jeremy Navarre comes up with the biggest defensive play of the game; getting Russell Wilson into the ground for a loss of 12 before he could throw the ball away. Maryland forces State to punt; and the Terps will take over from their own 8 with 4:50 to play. Chris Turner needs to come up with a valiant drive here; as the Wolfpack clearly are not rattled.

6:06-This is an absolutely CRITICAL juncture for the Terps; who could be staring their ACC Championship hopes in the eye. State faces a 3rd and 10 from the 28.

6:05-If he had half an eternity earlier; he had the REST of the eternity this time. Wilson has about 30 seconds, and manages to scramble his way to the Maryland 28 for a first down. That play was demoralizing, and brought out some boo birds in the crowd.

6:02-A strong run from Andre Brown gets NC State 17 yards and a 1st down across midfield to the Maryland 45. They want to try to get a score and take time off the clock clearly.

6:01-Florida State has moved ahead of Virginia Tech 17-13 in the 3rd. Virginia maintains a 17-14 advantage at Georgia Tech in the 3rd, and Navy leads SMU 34-7 in the 4th.

6:00-Just 45,000 in attendance for Homecoming today. Clearly the weather affected the walkup crowd; but it is disappointing that they weren’t able to sell more tickets in advance to such a big game.

5:59-That went south QUICKLY. Instead of a TD; the Terps were faced with 3rd and long, and a screen pass just wasn’t there. Egekeze; who had made ten in a row; then missed a tough FG wide right in TERRIBLE conditions. Maryland had a BIG chance to put pressure on the pack; but were unable to take advantage.

5:55-It WOULD have been another TD for Da’Rel Scott; but a hold will bring things back to the 22. Rain picking up here as the Terps face 3rd and 18 from the 22. A fade will be in order.

5:53-Da’Rel Scott is back in action; and the Terps are back in business. Three carries later; the Terps are down at the 14 and have the chance to go back ahead.

5:49-ANOTHER muffed punt return; this time by Graham; and it was recovered inside the 1. It appeared as though Spencer didn’t have control of the return until he was in the endzone; which would have been a safety. This is all nullified though; as NC State was charged with a personal foul before the kick; which will give Maryland new life; 15 yards, and a first down at NC State’s 36. They need to cash this in.

5:48-Morgan State had a better fate than Towson, as the Bears got another 100 yard performance from Devan James and forced 4 turnovers en route to a 20-3 Homecoming victory over Delaware State.

5:47-Turner sacked by Willis on 3rd down; and Maryland will be forced to punt to open the 4th quarter. Fans here are clearly on edge; and not particularly into the game.

5:45-The Terps give DHB his 3rd touch of the game on an end around; but this time it costs them 2 yards. Hopefully it will keep NC State honest and give them a chance for a big play in the 4th.

5:44-The Terps and Pack trade penalties, and the Terps have a first down at their own 43. Da’Rel Scott follows that up with ANOTHER nice run, this one for 13 yards and a first down to NC State’s 44.

5:42-I gave Towson too much credit unfortunately. You heard it hear on WNST.net and AM 1570; as the Tigers fell 42-14 to New Hampshire earlier today. I had picked 33-17 Tigers; as I thought they had learned from their recent winning ways.

5:41-Scott finds nothing on first down, and DHB can’t haul in a pass to the outside from Turner; and Maryland is immediately faced with a 3rd and 11. But Da’Rel Scott does a NICE job of taking a screen and turning it into a 17 yard gain. Good mix to get this offense back on track.

5:38-Jamari McCullough gets into the backfield and the Terps are FINALLY in the sack column; a loss of 8 on 3rd down that will force the Pack to punt. Maryland starts at their own 21.

5:36-Chase Bullock breaks up a first down pass attempt from Wilson, but Wilson has ALL DAY to throw on 2nd down; and finds Jarvis Williams for a first down up to the 40. Maryland will HAVE to get some sort of pressure on Wilson; who seems to have enough time to read a book, shave, and call his mom on every play.

5:33-NC State snuffs out a 3rd down swing pass attempt in the flat; and Baltz is forced to punt. The Wolfpack will start with the ball at their own 26. Maryland NEEDS to get into State’s backfield and get their hands on Russell Wilson; who has continued to make plays throughout the game.

5:31-Maryland starts their drive from their 31 and gets the benefit of an offsides call on NC State to move to the 36. Nothing doing on 1st or 2nd down; and Maryland will be faced with a 3rd and 6 from their own 35.

5:30-Navy starts the 2nd half with a 27-0 advantage over SMU. So much for my 42-41 projection. Virginia leads Georgia Tech 17-14 in the 3rd down in Atlanta.

5:28-Dave Philistin has injured his shoulder and will not return. Hopefully his shoulder injury is not as significant as Kevin Barnes’ was; but this is not a good sign for the Terps.

5:26-Wilson with the NICE fade to Davis for a 7 yard TD strike; they’ll take another look at it, but it definitely seemed like if nothing else, he had the room to get his feet down. Wilson has REALLY been growing week to week. The play will stand, and it is now 24-24 with 7:38 to play in the 3rd. This is a game of trading punches; and someone is going to make a mistake that will allow the other team a body blow.

5:21-Wilson steps up BIG on 3rd and 9 and runs for 27 to the Maryland 32. Those are the types of plays that will leave Ralph and Chris Cosh FUMING; and could be the difference in Maryland busting this open or allowing the Pack to keep things close.

5:20-Wilson fumbles the snap on first and ten from the 39; but the Pack will recover after a loss of just 4. Still nothing in the Sack department for the Terps.

5:18-Bruce Posner points out a number on the stat sheet that I didn’t even notice at first. Alex Wujciak had 12 first half tackles. That’s incredible.

5:16-Scott continues his strong running by finding 24 yards and the endzone; putting him past the century mark for the day. This will be the difference in the 2nd half if Maryland is going to put the Pack away……they will HAVE to get strong running from Da’Rel Scott mixed with pickups from Meggett.

5:14-1st catch, 2nd touch for DHB today goes for 9 yards up to the NC State 38. Turner follows that up with a SIGNIFICANT underthrow to DHB downfield in double coverage; but he’s bailed out by an interference call that will get the Terps to the 23.

5:13-Virginia Tech is back ahead of Florida State; 13-10 at the half.

5:12-Da’Rel Scott is off to a good start in the 2nd half; as two rushes later he’s taken the Terps from their own 33 to NC State’s 48.

5:10-As Thyrl mentioned; Time of Possession is ABSOLUTELY a factor here. NC State has held the ball for 22 minutes; effectively mixing the run and pass; and ESPECIALLY effective using the rollout. The conditions remain TERRIBLE, and the crowd is getting smaller as we go. NC State will have their chances. Make no mistake though; this game is not “another letdown” as many fans will look at it. NC State is a continuously improving team, and both teams are playing pretty good football today.

4:51-Tune into AM 1570 or click “Listen Live” above you; as I will be joining Thyrl Nelson in moments to break down the 1st half.

4:50-Maryland’s decision APPEARED to work when NC State was forced to RUSH their kicker on the field after a 15 yard pass play; but Czajkowski was true from 28 yards to end the half. Things are tied at 17 at the intermission.

4:48-NC State with the curious decision to spike on 1st down. I know they have no timeouts; but that leaves them with just two plays to try to come up with something. Maryland makes a curious decision to accept a pass interference call on 3rd down and push State back to the 26 when they could have forced them to try the kick.

4:45-Wilson had Graham open in the endzone; but overthrew him. State faces a 3rd and 9 from their own 25. The Pack deliver; as Wilson gets time and finds Hill for 14 to the 11 with 37 seconds to play.

4:44-The game in Annapolis is certainly not as close as I thought it might be; as Navy jumped out to a 20-0 advantage in the 1st quarter; and maintains that advantage in the 2nd.

4:43-Faced with a 4th and 3 from the 32; NC State decides to go for it. Good choice. Wilson swings to Eugene off a no-huddle play; they get a first down to the 26 with about a minute to play in the half.

4:41-A correction on a score I had mentioned earlier; ESPN.com incorrectly had the FSU-Virginia Tech score as 7-3 FSU on their scoreboard; but the FSU TD had actually made the game 10-7 in favor of Virginia Tech; who had built an early lead. Florida State has since added a 50 yard FG from Graham Gano and things are now tied at 10 in the 2nd.

4:40-Another good play in downfield pass defense from a 1 on 1 defender. Fokou breaks up a pass intended for Eugene that would have gone for about 20 yards. Wilson continues to have plenty of time to throw the ball; and fumbles on 2nd down; but recovers his own fumble for a loss of 1. 3rd and 11 now for the Pack.

4:38-Without Kevin Barnes; NC State takes a shot downfield; but Anthony Wiseman breaks up the pass intended for Spencer. NC State gets a 1 yard run on the next play; but then finds ten yards on a dump for a first down at Maryland’s 40.

4:37-The field conditions strike again; as Oquendo can’t corral the punt at the 45, and NC State picks up the fumble at their own 49; giving them new life.

4:35-Wilson had a shot at finding Spencer up around their 20; but he couldn’t climb the ladder. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway; as Spencer had run out of bounds previously.

4:33-Maryland bails out State by jumping into the neutral zone on first down; but NC State gives those yards right back on first down. State faces a 3rd and 6 from their own 5; not exactly the place you’d want to do anything risky; not even their effective rollout.

4:31-Turner BADLY overthrows Torrey Smith, and the Terps will be 3 and out here. HUGE punt from Travis Baltz nets 54 yards and Cory Jackson downs it at the 1; forcing NC State to take over DEEP in their own territory with a SLOPPY field.

4:28-NC State appeared to be moving the ball pretty well; but a holding penalty hurt them; and they never got back on track after facing a first and 20. Maryland starts their drive from their own 43 following a NC State punt.

4:23-Here’s how the early ACC results affect the Terps. Boston College and Wake each fall to 2-2 in conference play; so with a win the Terps would be a game clear of both in the Atlantic Division. Maryland and Florida are currently tied; with the Noles going ahead of Virginia Tech in the 2nd quarter; and Maryland of course leading here in the 2nd as well. Maryland’s advantage over Wake would be more like 1 and a half games should they win; as the Terps hold the win over Wake already. Florida State heads to College Park in November; Maryland wraps up their season with a trip to BC.

4:21-Things REALLY starting to get sloppy in the rain. Graham muffs the kickoff, recovers, but only gets to the 14; where the Pack will start their next drive.

4:18-Meggett finishes one play later; plunging in for a 1 yd TD run to put the Terps back ahead. I am CONTINUOUSLY impressed by what Meggett brings to the table; and the future he might well have here in College Park. 17-14 Maryland with 10:21 to play in the half. Now the Pack get the chance to play from behind; which is exactly what you want a young QB to do.

4:17-Turner finds Gronkowski for 8 yards to the 12 for a first down on a nice rollout play. Turner may have dropped too far back on the rollout to still have been a threat to run; but he did a nice job of touching the ball to Gronkowski. Davin Meggett follows that up with a STRONG run to the 1 yard line. First down.

4:15-AND JUST LIKE THAT! Brown fumbles; and McCullough covers it up at the 24. Maryland gets that big play defensively they needed; and they have a chance to swing momentum back here. (Edit from GMC: The Forced Fumble was originally creditted to Antwine Perez, but later creditted to Skinner.)

4:12-Turner is forced to throw the ball away on 3rd and 10 in the face of pressure. Egekeze follows up by setting a new career long FG with a 47 yarder. I was surprised to see they’d trust Egekeze from 47 given the conditions; but he was true and had some to spare. Remember when this guy was fighting for his job? Hard to believe now! 14-10 NC State with 11:57 to play in the half. Maryland NEEDS to make a play on defense to get momentum back on their side.

4:11-What was already an underwhelming home field advantage is hurt even more by the number of ponchos seen throughout the crowd; with red only prevalent in the student section. Yellow and orange ponchos are seen throughout the rest of the stadium.

4:09-Da’Rel Scott gets things into motion right away; with a NIFTY 39 yard run on first down to the State 30 yard line. This happened even after State had jumped offsides; which I believe Kenny Mayne would report as cheating.

4:08-Torrey Smith with a decent 16 yard return; Maryland will take over from their own 31, once again playing from behind. Hard to establish control of the game when you’re playing catchup.

4:05-Wilson runs ANOTHER successful rollout; and finds Jarvis Williams wide open in the back of the endzone. It is POURING in College Park right now; which is helping to make things wacky. 14:05 to play in the half; 14-7 NC State.

4:04-Chase Bullock with a nice play to break up what would have been a TD pass in the endzone from Wilson to Hill. NC State will be faced with a 3rd and goal from their own 4.

4:03-I’m not kidding about how difficult it is to win on the road in the ACC. Miami handed Wake their 2nd straight defeat 16-10 today at Dolphins Stadium.

4:02-NC State will have a first and goal from the 7 to start the 2nd quarter; but the first quarter will come to a close with the score tied at 7. Maryland’s defense could use a big play (a sack maybe?) to start feeling good about itself.

4:00-Wilson gets half an eternity to throw; and finds Eugene inside the 20 after the Maryland defenders had broken in to try to help contain Wilson. NC State again marching inside the 20.

3:58-NC State has done a good job early of getting into VERY manageable 3rd down situations. On 3rd and 3 from the 45; Wilson finds Hill on a rollout for 8 yards and a first down across midfield.

3:58-We’re back to even as Turner gets GREAT protection on 3rd down and finds Dan Gronkowski open and lets him fall into the endzone. 7-7 with 4 to play in the first. State back to work across the 30 to start their next possession.

3:51-Turner with a lazy fake pitch; but makes up for it by finding Lee-Odai for 19 yards down to the 20. Terps need to match with a TD here to eliminate State’s momentum. A FG or failing to score would allow their momentum to stretch.

3:49-Da’Rel Scott gets ten on a solid delayed run; then DHB follows up by picking up 17 on a delayed reverse. Terps inside State’s 40.

3:45-Jordan Steffy dressed today; presumably would be available in an ABSOLUTE emergency situation. Torrey Smith unfortunately bumps into his own man; and he’s down at the 34. Maryland will take over playing from behind.

3:41-Jeremy Navarre and Nolan Carroll keep Wilson out of the endzone on a delayed scramble; but State has the ball on the 1; and Brown has no problem leaping in for a TD. Bruce Posner’s thoughts: “Good deferral; wasn’t it?” I couldn’t agree more. Just like that-with 7:12 to play in the first; NC State has a 7-0 lead and a TON of confidence. Maybe getting your offense on the field first is a better idea.

3:39-Wilson continues his controlled passing attack by finding Brown for 8 yards to the 9. On 3rd down; Wilson takes himself for 4 yards and a 1st down at the 5. Pack knocking on the door now.

3:38-Boston College followed up their impressive primetime win over Virginia Tech last week by getting PUMMELED 45-21 at Carolina today. Winning on the road in the ACC is JUST NOT EASY.

3:37-Pack faced with 3rd and VERY short at the 19 and Brown stays on his feet to get a first down at the 17. Pack operating with a first down in the red zone.

3:36-Wilson finds Bryan down to the 28 for a pickup of 15. Terps bending early and giving the Pack confidence. Not much pressure; and the rollout continues to be effective as Wilson gets another 8 on a scramble down inside the 20. Nice pop from Wujciak at the end though.

3:35-Wolfpack mix run and pass to get two early first downs across midfield. Wilson looked good on a first play rollout pass.

3:33-Terps defer the toss and NC State starts with the ball. Controlled passing and running the ball will be the story today with a wet field. The Terps’ decision to continuously defer (Ralph said his players screwed that up last week) is puzzling, as this team seems to play better when they take the ball first an establish an early advantage. It certainly drives WJFK’s Bruce Posner (who sits next to me) crazy.

3:31-ESPN360 Today; so most of you will be forced to follow along with me. Weather has kept the crowd from being particularly impressive; which will certainly frustrate Ralph. Hopefully there are still many filing in from the tailgating area.

3:23-Some quick thoughts from today’s Basketball scrimmage first. The stats say that Landon Milbourne (24 pts.), Greivis Vasquez (23 pts), and Cliff Tucker (26 pts) lead the way; but they didn’t impress me most; with maybe the expection of Tucker. I thought Eric Hayes really did a nice job of leading the offense for the Red team; who won 80-66. Hayes did a nice job of finding his own shot; which is key as this is not a particularly good shooting team. Hayes was 4/6 from beyond the arc; but that included a big shot right before the intermission break as time dwindled. I also REALLY liked what Sean Mosley brought to the table. The kid is smart and has great instincts. He will take it to the whole on occassion, but he also stepped back for a baseline three during a key 12-0 in the first half. And Adrian Bowie also impressed me. He was just 3/8 from beyond the arc and had only 11 points; but he seemed to battle well with Eric Hayes. Dino Gregory has 12 boards; which is good because SOMEONE has to play down low.

“You think if the Ravens let McAlister go after the season they’d have enough money to sign all 3 Linebackers?”

Apparently the city of Baltimore just doesn’t get how important Chris McAlister is to this team, this franchise, and this city.

Chris McAlister is a good CB. Frankly, he’s a GREAT CB. If I’m really being honest, he’s a HISTORICALLY good CB. I told Drew a few weeks ago that I truly believed McAlister was the most important player on the team. He dominated my voting in the Tuesday Top 7 for the first few weeks of the season AGAIN; as having a healthy Chris McAlister this season reminded me of what this defense was capable of being.

You CANNOT just toss aside a Chris McAlister.

You CANNOT just play fantasy football and imagine how you can spend Chris McAlister’s money.

Chris McAlister STILL strikes fear in the hearts of offensive coordinators throughout the NFL. Chris McAlister STILL makes QB’s think twice (or not at all!) about even looking his way. Chris McAlister STILL gives this secondary the closest thing to a shutdown corner that the NFL has.

BUT…….Chris McAlister CANNOT be allowed to be bigger than the team. I’ve said the same thing about Ray Lewis in the past; but we all know the rules are different for Ray Lewis (And I’m not necessarily saying they shouldn’t be).

Chris McAlister CANNOT be allowed to embarrass the organization; the staff, the sponsors, the fans, or the city of Baltimore.

I agree with the Ravens’ decision to discipline Chris McAlister; but they NEED to try to figure out a way to make things work with him for the remaining two years on his contract. There is NOT just another CB they can plug in and expect to play at McAlister’s level. There is NOT a CB in the Draft who will be able to play at that level in the next 2 years.

This CANNOT become a situation where we say “If he won’t fall in line; he has to go.” Somehow, someway, the Ravens need to figure out a way to keep Chris McAlister in tow.

-James Walker is right. All of the playoff talk is laughable. Just be patient. If this IS a team that is capable of being a playoff team; we’ll know within the next 3 weeks. But they aren’t just quite yet.

-The loss of Kevin Barnes SERIOUSLY hurts the Maryland defense. Barnes has been one of their top performers; and he brings intensity and leadership to the field. They are fortunate to have some depth in the secondary, and they are more fortunate that the ACC just doesn’t have great passing offenses this season.